Torah Sparks

United Synagogue (USCJ) is proud and delighted to bring you Torah Sparks, with insights and learning materials on the Parasha (Torah portion) of the week. Torah Sparks is produced by the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Each week there will be a Dvar Torah - a discussion on some aspect of the reading, by CY faculty, alumni and friends; a Vort - a short thought from Chasidic rebbes or other thinkers about some point in the text; and Table Talk - questions to stimulate discussion on the Parsha around the Shabbat table. Torah Sparks is available here on the Conservative Yeshiva's Shiurim Online Beit Midrash website, as well as by subscription to weekly graphical emails. Please select the Parasha you would like to see - it will display articles from each year. A printable PDF is linked at the end of each week's presentation.

Demai, Chapter 4, Mishnah 3

As we explained in the introduction to Demai, in the third and sixth years of a sabbatical cycle, a person separates poor mans tithe from his produce and gives it to the poor. In our mishnah, there is a debate over whether one has to separate poor mans tithe from demai.

Section one: According to Rabbi Eliezer, the am haaretz does separate poor mans tithe from his produce, and therefore, one need not do so again.

Section two: The sages disagree with Rabbi Eliezer and hold that it is unclear whether an am haaretz separates poor mans tithe from his produce, just as it is unclear whether he separates the other tithes. Therefore, the person who wants to eat demai must first separate the poor mans tithe. However, he does not have to actually give it to the poor person because the poor person cannot prove that the am haaretz did not separate the poor mans tithe. Demai is only doubtfully untithed produce. Since the poor cannot prove that this produce belongs to them, the person who separates the poor mans tithe from the demai can keep it for himself.